Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-15

the country 10 the other. In tnis way DI'
Hatcher was brought into a notoriety alto.
gether unexpected in the outset, and
greatly against his own tastes and wishes.
AL0CKED TONGUE.
Mean while the corpulent and good.
nstured Mr.. Dunn did not keep more faith
full guard over the condemned murderer
than d d DR.. Hatcher keep over his tongue.
The lock upon his lips would have dehed
the most skilled expert in the business OF
opening combination safes. Cluyeriuswa
not safer behind his prison bars than we're
the guarded secrets OF his Christian pastor.
lie always met gentlemen OF the press with
open and genial courtesy, but quietly In
sisted that they bad called on the wrong
man, SINCE bis relations with the prisoner
would utterly forbid his becoming an or
can of communication between the prisoner
and the public. so infieXibly reticent had
he been that It was feared that even when
the end came he would refuse to speak.
A reporter OF the Dispatch yentured
day or two ago to approach DIR. Hatcher,
and irduired II be was fixed In his determ-
tion not TO favor the public with any ac-
count OF bis dealings with the prisoner.
lie said that be was under an unusual
stress Of work, and that he had no desire
to cater to a prurient and indecent Gu
riosity. He added, however, that he had
always believed that the prisoners case had
its public aspects, and that he bad felt that
when the proper time came he would be
quite willing to let the people have the his
tory Of his connection with the prisoner.
ltwas finally arranged that representative
Of the DiSp0tch would call on him at his
convenience and receive such statements
as he might be willing to make public.
The substance OF that Interview we now
lay before our readers:
TIE HISTORY or DIR. HATCHER's CONNECTION
WITH CLUYERICs As HIS RELIGIOUS AD-
WISER.
Reporter: There are many things, DIR.
Hatcher, which must be known to you con-
cerning this fatal and memorable affair
which would greatly interest our readers.
am glad that YOU have expressed a readt-
ness for an interview, and | will be obliged
II YOU will answer such questions as the
Dispatch desires me to ask.
Dir. Hatcher: Very well; state your
questions, and IL they seem pertinent aud
| importart they will be answered; other
wise you VIII excuse my silence. have
no interest i'm this interview except to let
the public know what course | have pur-
| sued I'm dealing with the spiritual interests
| OF this ill-fated young man and what I'M
pressiOns his case has made upon me. The
relations which | have sustained to him
| have been to me unutterably painful and
perplexing. 1t is an experience which no
| sensible and conscientious minister could
| ever covet, and which | sincerely trust may
1 never befal me again.
Reporter: How did IL happen, Doctor,
That you became the spiritual adviser OF the
| prisoner!
DR.. Hatcher II came in this way. lie was
| a former student OF Richmond College, and
! while never knew him intimately during
| bis collegiate career, that fact gave him a
claim upon my sympathy. Richmond Col
! lege i my Alma Mater, and for the dozen
years that have lived in Richmond have
taken deep interest in the general welfare
OF the students; and | may add that the
| fact that a young man Is a Richmond Col.
| lege boy enkindles my brotherly interest IN
! him.
| When CluyerIus was arrested 1t was q
| great sorrow TO me, but | determined Tat
! would not visit him, provided any other
! minister eyinced any active interest in his
ease. | waited for weeks to see whether or
| not be would find IN some other direction
| suitable NAN 10 utdl WIFI lHt lCiElOun
problems OF his imperiled life. it was a
phase OF ministerial duty from which re-
/ coiled. The days went by, aud yet while
be had many visitors | could not learn that
any preacher had gone near him. A few
days before his trial / paid him brief
visit, expressed no opinion as to his guilt,
or as to the probable issue OF his trial,
prayed with him at his own request, and
left. lie did not ask me to become his re-
ligiOus counsellor in spy exclusive sense,
but thanked me warmly for the visit and
asked me 10 call again. Some time after his
conviction | paid him a second visit, and
| then during the year which followed
| visited him two or three times.
| While never reluctant to converse on reli-
| gious topics he was not specially commune
/ caiiye. Indeed. be was so emphatic in the
| protestatiOns Of his innocence and so hope
/ ful that be would be delivered from death
that did not feel that my visits were spe-
| ciaIy profitable. He was sOcia0le, chatty,
| agreeable, and always respectful to spiritual
! things, but his face was not turned toward
! death. This rather discouraged me, for
vas tcO busy to pay him merely social or
| sympathetic attention, and so | desisted
| from nv visits. | remained away from the
| prison purpOsely that he might either Sc
! lect some other minister IL he preferred, or
| that he might at least take me into a more
| intimate confidence with him. Daring last
! autumn he wrote me note requesting me
! to come TO see him. l went promptly, and
he then expressed the wish that ] would
visit him regularly. Since that time | have
often been with bin, and, so far as know,
had his unlimited confidence.
ASKING FOR RESPITE.
Reporter: | suppose, Doctor, that while
you have been his spiritual teacher you have
also taken an active interest in his temporal
welfare.
DR.. Hatcher: What do you mean?
Reporter: Wen, frankly, want to know
whether you have been actively associated
with the different schemes for saving the
prisoner from the gallows.
DR.. Hatcher: OF course have felt an in-
terest I'm these movements for several rea-
sons. | boped all the time, as Others did,
that he might be able TO establish his innO-
cence, and watched with intense solicit
tude every development that hinted at such
a result. But | was not at work on that
line. That was not my business. H1never
sought to use me for any such purposes.
This say as an act OF Justice to him. The
only service that ever rendered him wss in
presenting the petition for his reprieve. 1t
is true that on last Thursday night called
on Governor Lee on my own motion and
urged him to consider fayorably the appeal
for further time. This / did for reasons
which ! would like to explain later. He
never asked for anything else.
Reporter: On what ground did you ask
the Governor TO respite the prisoner the
first time!
Dr. Hatcher dictated the form OF his
petition, and added nothing TO the appeal
except the declaration that in my judgment
the Young man had been so constantly
buoyed with the hope Of deIiyeranoe that
be had not sufficiently pondered the So
lemnity Of his situation.
PRISONERS LOVE OF LIFE.
Reporter Was he not about as hopeful
lfter his respite on the Sth OF December as
ne was beforeg
DIR. Hatcher: think not. He told me
repeatedly that he regarded MS situation as
6ell-nigh beyond human hope. He said
hat he felt that it was not only his right
but his imperative duty TO exhaust every
possible expedient TO avoid doom TO him
% shameful and unmerited and so bitter
and crushing 10 his family. This be did,
and I'm a manner that impressed me with his
boundlesS and ever-yearning love OF life.
The waves were beating over him, and In
stinctively he elutched every straw that
Aoated within his reach. and yet 1t was
hardly the work Of hope. He did not give
himself up to dreamy expectations. 0ut